League attorney, on union’s alleged willingness to decertify: “It’s like a taking a loaded gun and putting it on the table.”

Judge’s response: “It’s not clear if there are any bullets in it,” meaning unclear if union actually would decertify.

The league’s lawsuit was a pre-emptive strike against the union decertifying then having players sue the union on anti-trust grounds. That’s the route the NFL players went, but the NBA has not and likely will not unless the entire season is lost. Still, the issue was enough of a concern to the league they filed this lawsuit essentially trying to block decertification.

It also was an attempt by the league to choose the venue where any case would be heard. The league has had favorable rulings from this district in the past.

All that said, it really changes nothing. This lockout is going to be solved by negotiations. They are 95 percent of the way there. But they can’t get the last five percent until they sit down again, and right now no talks are scheduled.